The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-04-16
SWEPT. .
Tho Spring Zephyr Watts Througl,
Our Nelghbors,
TOWNS OF MARTINS FERRY,
And st. Clairsyille. Turning into
the Breath Of tho Cyclone,
WRECKS MANY BUILDINGS.
Seyenty.llve Houses Damaged il,
Martins Ferry, 5
AND 100 In ST. CLAIRSvILLE.
Many Homeless Families Find
.'--o'.Sh Shelter in n Rink.
WESTERN BLOWS ECIIlSED.
Roofs Lifted With Great Ease and
Dispatch,
AN d HOUSES MOVED
Witholltany Expense to tho Owner
Of the Property.
WESTERN BLOWS ECLIpSED.
Roofs Lifted With Great Ease and
Dispatch,
AND HOUSES MOVED
Withoutany Expense to tho Owner
m Of the Property.
INCIDENTS OF THE "GALE." "

Yesterday afternoon between 8 and 4
o'clock, the most terrific and destructive
storm which ever visited this section Of
the country. wGs experienced on the other
side OF tho river, the range Of it's worst
effects extending from beyond St. Clsirs.
vile to the river, a. Martins Ferry. The
storm in its devastating power and all its
characteristic ieaturea wss regular cy.
clone, and the wreck and damage it left in
Its track will cxcsed million dollars.
Houses were demolished, barns blown
down and scattered, treea uprooted or
snapped of like p!pes;ems, and in num-
Der Of cases serious injury to persons &C.
cured, though 30 far no loss Of life hss
been reported.
The storm when fret noticed wss ap-
proaching St. Clsirsyi!le from the weat,
its track seeming to lie along the National
road, with sudden deAeclions to the north
and south. The first damage done so far
ss known wss the distraction Of the Bel
mont County 1nirmary burn, and i,om
there to the east end OF town hoUses were
wrecked at short intervals. The path Of
the storm continued in an easterly d;rec-
ton, and at Martins Ferry it wrought
havoc. about eeventy-6re houses being
destroyed.
WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE.
When the hrs! sign OF the approaching
cyclone WAS noticed it was sweep!pg
toward St. Ciairsvills from the west in the
shape Of q iunnel-!ika cloud having the
appearance OF a nsgs Of derae black
smoke. TIE little end Of tho cone WIS
down, and a tail.like streak descended
toward the ground, sweeping abou. like a
lash and leaving ruin wherever it touched.
1t 10 evident that tho fury OF the storm
WAS not entirely spent at the river. 1t
swept over Wheeling in the upper air, do
ing no damage to speak OF in the sheltered
valley, but leaving serious traces east Of
here.
While the storm ragged the air was per-
ceptibly agitated with electricity. The
WAS not especially vivid nor fro
quent here, bu: the presence OF the elac.
trical influence wns vary noticeable. Over
the river and little dist ance south OF III g
city considerable hail iell, and it ra;red
pretty freely all through tho track of tho
cyclone. The cyclone was raging while
the storm hero was at its height, and the
sky the blacklist. The dark atorm ciOud
over Martins Ferry was plainly viHible
from Wheeling.
ST. CLAIssVILLE AND VICINITY.
How tho Cyclons Struck and tho Euin II
WrDu:ht-Snt IL House E-rapcd,
The damage done in and about st.
Clsirsville by the awful windatorm was
terrible in the extreme. Situated ss the
county seat ia, on top Of the high hills
OF Belmont, it was exposed to the inll
fury Of the destroying cyclone. 1t came
almost without warning and Gu: i.a cos.ly
awath right through the central and most
populous and wealthy portion Of tho town,
wrecking fine residences, business blocks
and churches. There was devantstion
from one end Of the town to tho other
other. 1t was tho worat diHastar the
people OF that section ever experienced,
fivating in its destructiveno 70 the famed
cyclones OF the West. Over one hundred
houses and barns were eithnr entirely do.
molished or 80 twisted and wrecked ~ to
be practically ruined. Included in this
number ara several OF tho finest resi-
dences, throe churches, Ato, es and public
othcea. Considerable live stock wAa
killed, or 80 crippled as to ncccssiste
killing. Strange to relate, 10 person was
killed, but humber wore sariously in.
jured. The fortunate TACT that no one
WAS killed may be rightly regarded as 4
miracle.
A92CD, 900 Loss.
A moderate estimate OF tho loGs occa.
stoned within radins o: throe miles from
the conrt houss is at least 100000 and
the probabilities arc that the losses that
will be discovered to-day will materially
inCreaBe that amount.
wHHS TuE CYcLoHE BTHUCK.
II Was junt fifteen minuteH after three
o'clock, aa indicated by number Of cockt
found in houses that were wrecked almost
off their foundations, tiat had stopped
when the cyclone swept through the
place. For an hour previous tho mir had
been thick and sultry. A short timN be-
.ore the coming Of tho destroyer tho sky
became OVERCAST and n inrkncs s!cao"t
equal to that Of dnak prevailed. Tho nky
weat Of tho town waH observed to have 4
dull copper cant.
RuifrEH WITH TERROR.
Suddenly breeze began to blow ant
then ca,np n shrill Whaling sound tha
rapidly increased to r. terrible roar. Tho
people began To take alarm-Lhey ruHhct
ont into tho strosta and looked In tho df
rection from which the noiHa cams. WIN